The first song that he authored and copyrighted was Weep No More, Willow in 1938.[2] The following year, he wrote and copyrighted It's a Big Wide Wonderful World (1939).[3] It has been used in the soundtrack of several different films over the span of over 50 years.[4]
The song premiered in All in Fun (1940) on Broadway, of which he was the lyricist for the show. Walter Cassel and Wynn Murray introduced the song.[5] The show had opened at the Majestic Theater on Broadway and featured Imogene Coco as a cast member.[6]
Major Motion Picture Films with
It's a Big Wide Wonderful World
in the soundtrack:[4]
More information Film Title, Year ...
Close
In 1946, he wrote the song Ridin' Double for the soundtrack of the 1946 film Sioux City Sue starring Gene Autry.[7][8]
He later wrote I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (1953) with Gayla Peevey singing the original version. It was a popular song with 39 artists singing the cover for it.[9] That same year, he was one of several songwriters and lyricists for the Broadway show John Murray Anderson's Almanac (1953).[10] The following year, he and fellow songwriter and lyricist from the show, Michael Grace, wrote the song Let a Little Time Go By (1954).[11]
In 1956, he and Dean Fuller wrote the music for New Faces of 1956, which premiered at the Ethel Barrymore Theater on Broadway with Maggie Smith and Jane Connell as a cast members.[12][13]
More information Title, Year ...
Broadway Shows
Title |
Year |
Role |
All in Fun |
1940 |
Composer and Lyricist |
John Murray Anderson's Almanac |
1953 |
Composer and Lyricist |
New Faces of 1956 |
1956 |
Composer |
Close